Selenops ovambicus

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Ovambicus Selenops Flat Spider
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Selenopidae
Genus: Selenops
Species:
S. ovambicus
Binomial name
Selenops ovambicus

Selenops ovambicus is a species of spider in the family Selenopidae.[2] It is found in Senegal, Cameroon, Sudan, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa and is commonly known as the Ovambicus Selenops flat spider.[3]

Distribution

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Selenops ovambicus is found in Senegal, Cameroon, Sudan, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa. In South Africa, it is known from Limpopo at 418 m above sea level.[3]

Habitat and ecology

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The species inhabits the Savanna biome and is a free-living cryptozoic nocturnal ground living spider.[3]

Description

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See also: Glossary of spider terms

Known from only the female. Carapace reddish brown, cephalic portion a little darker than thoracic portion, defined at its posterior apex by two short blackish stripes, a narrow incomplete blackish stripe in the middle. Thoracic portion with some submarginal spots, radiations from the thoracic striae short and ill-defined, the striae itself deeply grooved and blackish. Mandibles blackish brown, ocular area dark. Abdomen much macerated. Femora of anterior legs with 2 distinct blackish bands on their anterior surfaces, these confluent along the under sides. Anterior tibiae with 2 black and 2 lighter bands. Labium blackish brown, sternum narrowly margined with black. Total length 13.4 mm.[3]

Conservation

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Selenops ovambicus is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range in Africa. The species is protected in Kruger National Park.[3]

Taxonomy

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The species was originally described by Lawrence in 1940 from Namibia. It was revised by Corronca in 2002.[3]

References

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  1. ^ Lawrence, R.F. (1940). "The genus Selenops (Araneae) in South Africa". Annals of the South African Museum. 32: 555–608.
  2. ^ "Selenops ovambicus Lawrence, 1940". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 2025-09-27.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2020). The Selenopidae of South Africa. Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 75. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7162139. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.